Philanthropy

Partnering with non-profit organizations and community involvement have always been a part of New Belgium. In 1995 when the philanthropy program was conceived, we began donating $1 for every barrel of beer sold to non-profit organizations in the communities where we sell our beers. This effort spurred the establishment of a philanthropy committee that, to this day, remains the backbone of the program. This inter-departmental group, open to all interested coworkers, researches, reviews and allocates funds to worthy organizations doing important work across our areas of distribution. Since its inception, New Belgium Brewing has donated more than $8 million through our grant programs and in 2015 co-workers donated over 2773 hours of volunteer time to their community. See an example of our grant dollars at work -HERE.

New Belgium Brewing’s Grant Program is a separate and distinct entity from the New Belgium Family Foundation. You can learn more about the New Belgium Family Foundation HERE.

Local Grant Program and Application

The purpose of New Belgium’s Local Grants Program is to serve and connect with the communities where we sell our beers. We want to cultivate relationships and support those making an impact. Our goal is to improve the health of the planet and inspire others to joyously embrace sustainable choices. In 2016 we will donate $916,063 to programs in 40 states.

*Youth Environmental Education

We believe environmental stewards draw inspiration from their earliest experiences in the outdoors. At New Belgium Brewing Company we are reminded every day that we are a part of the natural world because producing world-class beers depends on the health of the environment.

As environmental stewards we are enthusiastic about programs that foster connectivity between humans and nature. We aim to discover programs that engage youth from a variety of backgrounds in the outdoors and prepare them to make knowledgeable choices about the environment. New Belgium is devoted to honoring nature at every turn of the business, and we are privileged to support programs that share our commitment. Let’s go outside!

We are in support of Youth Environmental Education (grades K-12) projects that:

Apply an interdisciplinary approach

Influence positive behavior change

Experientially engage students in the outdoors

Incorporate a comprehensive curriculum tied to national and state learning standards

Please note projects and themes may include but are not limited to the four other grant categories we fund (Sustainable Agriculture, Smart Growth, Bike Advocacy, and Water Conservation & Restoration).

*Sustainable Agriculture

Beer is an agricultural product, born from nutritious soil, water, and hard-working hands. New Belgium Brewing purchases barley, hops, and various spices primarily from the United States and Canada, as well as a very small amount from abroad. Our business depends on these high quality, affordable, and reliable ingredients to make the delicious beer we all enjoy. Because of this, we value a vibrant and complete ecosystem to support our livelihoods and great beer for many generations to come.

Agriculture accounts for the majority of water consumed by human-based activity on the planet, and it emits significant greenhouse gas emissions. Through our charitable contributions and work with our suppliers, we hope to do our part in encouraging agriculture to become more sustainable and even regenerative.

We are in support of Sustainable Agriculture projects that:

Strengthen and protect ecosystem health and biodiversity

Breakdown barriers and foster support for the young farmers entering the profession

Protect public health, human communities and or animal welfare

*Smart Growth

New Belgium embraces growth as a way to bring opportunity and prosperity to coworkers and their families. This path underscores the responsibility to prove business can be a force for good. One way we evidence this ideal is by incorporating Smart Growth practices in our breweries and our communities in Fort Collins, CO and Asheville, NC. We support systems that promote clean air, clean water, and strong local economies. We all deserve to live in places that optimize environmental, economic, and social well-being. By funding projects that support smart growth, we're creating opportunities for New Belgium beer drinkers to advance sustainable infrastructure in communities where we sell our beer. Let's make great neighborhoods all over the place.

We are in support of Smart Growth projects that:

Influence development and revitalization that protects natural resources and promotes clean air, water and energy

Incorporate strategies to strengthen or create safe transportation infrastructure with all users in mind- including bicyclists, public transportation vehicles and riders, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities

Emphasize proactive, sustainable, inclusive planning

Take into account climate change mitigation and adaptation

Promote economic transition plans in fossil fuel based communities

* Bicycle Advocacy

We like bikes. The bicycle is near and dear to our New Belgium hearts, as you might notice from the label of our flagship beer, Fat Tire! Not only is the bicycle all kinds of fun to ride but it keeps us healthy, and, when ridden in place of a car, it is better for the planet.

We are in support of Bicycle Advocacy projects that:

Breakdown barriers and fosters support for riders of all ages and abilities

*Water Conservation & Restoration

The communities in which we brew our beer are intrinsically bound to great American rivers: the Cache la Poudre in Fort Collins, CO and the French Broad River in Asheville, NC. Access to clean water is a (threatened) basic human right, and the effects of climate change exacerbate the aridity of the West. Since water makes up over 90% of our beer, we approach our role as stewards of these rivers sincerely. We aim to take only what we need and return any excess water as clean as we got it. This means reducing our water consumption wherever we can and avoiding the use of toxic cleaning agents or anything else that might compromise the purity of the water as it leaves our facility.

Of course, we can do everything within our power to reduce the quantity and increase the quality of the water we use, but that alone won’t preserve and rebuild the country’s many threatened rivers. We are a small splash in a giant pond, and we want to make our splash ripple.

We are in support of Water Conservation and Restoration projects that:

Support conservation policy and advocacy

Restore and protect ecosystem health and biodiversity

Promote management practices that improve the use of water resources for the protection and benefit of public health, human communities and or animal welfare

Please note while we are deeply connected to the rivers in our backyard, we offer support for water projects in any of the 40 states where we distribute our beer.

2016 Local Grant Guidelines

Funding decisions are made by our Sustainability Department and our Coworker Philanthropy Committee. Specifically, we focus our grants on the following four strategies to mitigate human impacts on the planet: